Ukraine

KYIV: Russian drones early Sunday struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv, setting a hotel ablaze and damaging energy infrastructure, the local Ukrainian governor reported, while ammunition shortages continued to hobble Kyiv's troops in the…

Strikes hit the region's Synelnykivsky area, where at least two children -- aged six and eight -- were among those killed, and the regional capital of Dnipro, the interior ministry said.

The Chernigiv region, which borders Belarus to the north, was partially occupied at the beginning of Russia's invasion but has been spared fierce fighting for around two years since Moscow's army withdrew.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, Europe's largest such facility, has been occupied by Russian forces since the start of their February 2022 invasion.

Ivan Korcok, a pro-Western former foreign minister, and Peter Pellegrini, a Ukraine-sceptic backed by the ruling populists, are vying to replace the outgoing liberal President Zuzana Caputova.

Overall, Russia fired 32 Iranian-made Shahed drones and six missiles at Ukraine overnight, according to the air force commander.

Shahed drones smashed into two apartment buildings in the city near the Russian border that has frequently been targeted during more than two years of war.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said rescue efforts were underway after a college and kindergarten were hit, according to Kyiv Post.

Conscription has been a sensitive matter in Ukraine for many months amid a growing shortage of infantry on top of a severe ammunition shortfall that has handed Russia the battlefield initiative.

Discussions will cover bilateral partnerships and cooperation on regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Zelenskyy dismissed Oleksii Danilov, who served as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, thanking him for his service in a video address.

Ukraine was earlier placed under a nationwide air alert that warned of cruise missiles being launched from Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers.

It is one of a flurry of hacker groups that have flourished in wartime, countering Russia from behind their screens and operating in a legal grey area.

The Ukrainian assaults on Russian territory in recent days have come as Russian President Vladimir Putin heads for near-certain reelection.

Francis had used the phrase "the courage of the white flag" as he argued that Ukraine, facing a possible defeat, should be open to peace talks brokered by international powers.

Kyiv has appealed to its Western allies to help bolster its air defences to fend off systematic Russian aerial attacks on key infrastructure throughout the two-year invasion.

An overall aim is to make up lost ground and see Europe's defence industry become as competitive as that of the US.

"One Russian ship has been upgraded to a submarine," Ukraine's defence ministry said in an ironic post on X.

Putin cast Western leaders as reckless and irresponsible and declared that the West should keep in mind the "tragic consequences" for any country that dared to send troops to Kyiv.

Zelenskyy on Wednesday called Albanian PM Edi Rama "Ukraine's unwavering friend" in a message on X, formerly Twitter, adding the two would "discuss defense and political cooperation, support for the Peace Formula, and security agreements."…